Untamed (Rejected Mate Academy #1) - E. M. Moore Page 0,11

where I would start to put on some fat. Nope. Nothing.”

My wolf likes Mia, settling down as my possible new friend and I go back and forth about the positives of being a shifter. Before long, I lean against the wall and study my new surroundings. Reality starts to set in. There are a bunch of cool wolf things, but I’m stuck at Greystone Academy. “How long have you been here?”

She presses her lips together. “I’m not a good one to ask if you’re wanting a Cinderella story.”

That makes sense. The fact that she’s here means things aren’t working out for her. A blush creeps up her cheeks, and I hurry to assuage her worries. “Hey, I’m not going to judge. None of my pack likes me, so….” I trail off, hoping she gets what I mean. I’ll probably be here forever, too.

“Over a year.” She clears her throat, her face hardening. “He’s pretty fucking stubborn. He only shows up for his mandatory meetings, and we don’t even talk.”

“Mandatory meetings?”

She wipes chocolate from the corners of her lips. “It’s all in your manual. Pass me a pillow, would you?” I reach over to grab her a pillow, and she stuffs it behind her back before reclining against the wall. “Basically, there are mandatory meetings, almost like family visitation in human jail. Mated pairings are forced together to make it work. A lot of us try, and he pretended in the beginning, but that only lasted a few months.”

I mull over her words and what she’s previously told me about how she ended up here. Fated mates aren’t allowed to be with anyone else. “But…” I hedge, not wanting to call the only person who’s attempted to befriend me a liar, but something doesn’t add up.

“But why would he keep shunning me when he can’t technically be with her? Good fucking question. I can’t seem to get it out of him.”

I shake my head. “That’s fucked up.”

“Truly,” she snarls.

I bite my lip. At least I don’t have to contend with another girl in the picture. For all Mia’s bravado, that must hurt like a bitch. Whatever our brains might want, our wolves—our very nature—will only want our fated mate. “I mean, they can’t be… together,” I say, putting it delicately. I’m well aware of this shifter rule since it’s the very reason I’m looked down on.

“They’re not supposed to be fucking, but who knows? I’m not there to spy on them.”

“Christ, Mia. That means—” I cut myself off. I don’t need to tell a girl I’ve known a whole five minutes that she’s going to end up Feral. I’m sure she already knows. “How long do you get here? To make it work before…?”

She shrugs. “Your mate has to officially fill out a form that states there’s no hope for your pairing. He hasn’t done that yet. Trying to ‘spare me’.”

“Fuck him,” I growl.

“Cheers to that.” She holds up half a Snickers bar, and I toast her with my Dove chocolate.

A warmth spreads through my belly and over my limbs. My wolf sits up—as interested in this new friendship with Mia as I am. I never let her have the chance of bonding with others back in Lunar, so she’s already anticipating running free in the forest with Mia, jumping over tree branches and wrestling in fields. Hunting down prey. You know, wolf stuff.

Me? I’d love to just sit and watch a movie with someone. Talk boys, maybe. A big part of my life was taken away when no one wanted anything to do with me. A smile forms on my lips as I realize I am talking boys with someone. Sure, we’re discussing how they dissed us, but it still counts.

“Your advisor probably told you to read that whole Greystone Academy manual, and you should. Just in case you were thinking of bailing on it like I did. It’s actually pretty informative.” She crumples up the Snickers wrapper after she finishes the last bite. “No one ever thinks they’re going to be in here long, but….” She shrugs.

“Well, I was thinking of skimming it, but if you say so.”

She smirks and shimmies toward the edge of the bed. “Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to a few people. It’s not all bad.” She reaches inside the basket she made me and pulls out the tissues. “Looks like I need these more than you, though.” A sad smile tugs at her lips while she moves toward the open door, clutching the tissue box